Out of Reach
by Antiquee
Summary: A distraught Jefferson realizes the inevitable. An alternative ending to 1x01 Pilot from Jefferson's POV


**Title:** Out of Reach  
**Rating: **T (alcohol and angst)  
**Word Count** 1088  
**Summary **A distraught Jefferson realizes the inevitable. An alternative ending to 1x01 Pilot from Jefferson's POV

Jefferson sat in a dark deserted room in his mansion. Day after day everything always remained the same. His door wouldn't open, his windows would not budge. He knew he should be getting older but the same face was always reflecting back at him.

Jefferson swirled the liquor around in his glass. If it was one thing Regina got right in damning him to this house, it was the endless supply of Johnny Walker's Blue Label in his basement. Days, Months, Years. They all blurred together for Jefferson. His sorrows all lay at the bottom of his Blue Label bottle and he was determined to get there.

A light flashed on in his peripheral vision. "Grace." He said aloud hastily placing his drink on the coffee table. In an instant he was at his telescope. His eye rest upon the lens. He didn't need to adjust it for it was already looking into Grace's room. He saw as his neighbors pulled her cover back for her and watched as she climbed into her bed. He saw her point across the room and watched as the man who replaced him walked across the room and back handing something to Grace. Jefferson was surprised when he saw that she was now holding a stuffed rabbit. One that he remembered sewing together for her himself. As Jefferson tried to get a better look at her his hand slipped throwing the telescopes viewpoint into a different direction. He looked through the telescope ready to adjust its settings when something peculiar zoomed across the lens.

Jefferson pulled himself away from the telescope pressing his face against the window. A yellow bug was riding into town and he wanted to know with all of his being who was in that car. If he was a betting man he would've said that Henry was a passenger. Ever since that little boy arrived in town he always kept his eye on him. The only one who aged, the only one who didn't come from their world. He couldn't help but scoff at his former friends and acquaintances, how could they not see what was right in front of their face? Jefferson positioned his telescope again to get a better view of the car. It stopped in the town square and he watched as Henry and a blonde woman emerged. They exchanged a few words with Jiminy Cricket and continued on their way to the Queen's. Jefferson watched as Henry ran inside the house, The Queen and the mystery woman chatted on the porch for awhile before they both dipped inside as well.

All Jefferson could do was wait but he knew something was going on. He paced around the room. What was only a mere minute felt like hours but it was enough time for him to get ahead of himself. This woman must have been the one to save them all. He knew Henry was special and this woman had to be too. He glanced out the window and saw that finally the blonde girl was leaving the Queen's.

Anxious, he looked through the telescope following the woman back to her car. She looked like such an ordinary girl but he was sure that she was here for a reason. She got in the driver's seat and drove off, stopping abruptly she reversed. '_This is it!'_ Jefferson thought, _'She's going to save us!' _She exited the car carrying something. Adjusting the zoom he saw that she was holding a book, one he recognized Henry coddling every day. She returned to the Queen's front porch book in hand. He watched as Henry's most prized possession was awarded to the one person who would abuse the knowledge between the pages. The woman quickly retreated back to her car. The look of delight on the Queen's face was undeniable. She had all the ammo in this war.

Jefferson pulled himself away from the telescope, looking out the window he watched as the yellow bug zoomed back the way it came. "No!" He shouted pounding on the glass. "No! Come back!" Jefferson retreated to the telescope, "Don't go! Please don't go!" He cried out desperately. He was hoping she would stop and turn around, or God forbid crash into the sign. But she didn't, her bug rolled out of this town just as fast as it came in.

In anger he picked up his telescope and hammered it into the window repeatedly. "No! Come back!" Tears streaked his face as his telescope broke into pieces. His fists met the window next but nothing could break it. His face pressed against the glass he saw a light flick on from across the way. Grace watched him from her window, a look of sadness in her eyes. He wondered what she thought of him. Was he the crazy drunk neighbor that she had just witnessed destroying his telescope against an impenetrable wall? Did she feel sorry for him? Could she see bits and pieces of him from before Wonderland?

He raised his hand to the window wishing he could reach through and bring her inside, but he couldn't. She was out of reach; unattainable. There was no savior. There was no one to break the curse. All he had was an infinite amount of liquor and fabric; he would be imprisoned in this house forever. Jefferson's heart stopped when he saw Grace wave at him with a look of misery on her face she retreated to her light turning it off and got back in bed.

Jefferson stumbled back to his bottle. He finally met the sorrow at the end, but it didn't make him feel any better. The night ended in a daze. When he awoke he hardly remembered the events of the previous night. He saw a package awaiting him on his coffee table. There was only one person in this town that had access to his house, the Queen with her skeleton keys. He lifted the card his name scrawled on the envelope.

_My Dear Jefferson,_

_ I hear you had a rough night. Paige's parents would appreciate if you could keep your drunken rants to a minimum. Oh, I almost forgot. I heard you might be needing one of these._

_ Regina_

Jefferson lifted the top of the box off the gift. A shiny new telescope lay wrapped in tissue paper. Gingerly he lifted it and replaced the one he broke, he would be more careful this time for now he was sure that this was all he had.


End file.
